After Vuelta success, Matt Brennan is desperate to ride the Tour, but history suggests Visma will disappoint him
CyclingWednesday, 09 September 2026 at 11:13
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Follow us on GoogleMatthew Brennan is the man to watch in the Vuelta a España when it comes to the sprints. The British rider from Visma | Lease a Bike has already won four times, and his chances aren’t over yet. The 21-year-old sprinter has already expressed his desire to compete in the Tour de France. But cycling analysts Roxane Knetemann, Niek Goedvolk, and Daniël Dwarswaard point to Visma's record of picking in-form sprinters for the Tour and suggest Brennan might be left high and dry.
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Because winning the Tour is different from winning the Vuelta. “I’m actually pretty curious,” says Knetemann on the podcast *In het Wiel*. “He’s definitely the fastest here in a bunch sprint, but if you put him in the Tour, I’m curious to see if he could hold his own there, too.” Up against the absolute fastest riders in the peloton—and it feels strange to say this—I think he lacks the speed. I think he’s more in the mold of Arnaud De Lie, with a style a bit like Van Aert’s.”
Brennan has impressed at the Vuelta, but is he good enough for the Tour?
In any case, winning four stage victories during your debut in a Grand Tour is something that has happened very rarely. The last rider to pull it off was Fernando Gaviria at the 2017 Giro d'Italia. Knetemann praises the scouting efforts of Visma | Lease a Bike, because in the years before he joined the Dutch team, he wasn’t necessarily the rider to beat.
"If you look at his results in the junior ranks, he definitely posted some scores that would make you want to scout him, but there had to be more to him if you wanted to bring that kid onto your team. Of course, results only tell part of the story—they’re not everything. But when you see how far he’s come compared to the guys he used to race against—they’re still nowhere near his level."
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Will Visma face another 'Olav Kooij situation' with Brennan?
After his fourth stage victory, Brennan discussed the 2027 Tour de France. Le Grand Départ will take place in the United Kingdom that year, and the Tour will begin with a flat stage toward Edinburgh. For the sprinter, that stage is a major goal. “With Wout van Aert and Christophe Laporte, we could really try to replicate what we’re doing here, and hopefully win the yellow jersey on day one,” he said after stage 16.
But Dwarswaard is thinking of Olav Kooij. Kooij was one of the fastest sprinters in the peloton when he was at Visma | Lease a Bike, but he was never allowed to ride the Tour de France. “That’ll happen again, of course. I’m curious to see if they’ll do things differently this time. This Vuelta is simple—all eyes are on the stage wins. But in the Tour, it’s a whole different story. The most recent Tour emphasised once again that they have absolutely no intention of giving up the battle against Pogačar with Vingegaard.”
That’s why Knetemann also believes Brennan won’t get his chance next year, even though the Tour de France starts in the UK. “If Visma were interested in that sort of thing, they’d also bring Dutch riders to the Tour. The competitive aspect comes first, and if they want to win the Tour again, it doesn’t matter that the Tour starts in England. So they’re not going to do it—no way.”
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Bram van der PloegEditor-in-chief
Bram van der Ploeg (35) is the proud founder of In de Leiderstrui, IDL Pro Cycling's parent site, launched in 2018. Finally, he could create stories about the sport he had followed since childhood. He is the editor-in-chief on paper, but prefers to be with his recorder next to a rider, a team bus, or in the mud at a cyclocross race. Every year, from February to the end of May, Bram follows the entire Italian cycling season, from the Trofeo Laigueglia to the Giro d'Italia, with the grand finale in October in Lombardy. During that time, he lives in Tuscany, where he has since come to call Italy his 'home'.
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Latest Comments
- - Love the 2027 UK Grand Départ shout. Edinburgh opener + Visma classics unit sounds spicy. But the article kind of undersells how rare 4 wins on debut is — that’s Gaviria-level company. Give the lad a chance at least on a transitional Tour stage, no?gearguru3309-09-2026
- - Wait, so why didn’t Kooij ever get a Tour shot if he was that fast? Is it really just because of Vingegaard vs. Pogačar GC priorities? Seems wild a team wouldn’t try for both green and yellow at least once.sprocketspiny09-09-2026
- - Slightly harsh to say he “lacks the speed.” His jump’s been electric this Vuelta, and he’s holding shape deep into week three. If Visma bring Wout + Laporte as engines, Brennan can surf wheels in the Tour. Question is: will Visma sacrifice even 5% GC control for a sprint train?cyclechamp4509-09-2026
- - Brennan’s Vuelta has been phenomenal — four stage wins on debut is no joke. But I’m with Knetemann: Tour sprinting is a different beast. Leadout depth, positioning against Philipsen/Jakobsen/Girmay… big step up. Still, his top-end looks better than people think.cadencekingm09-09-2026
- - Small nit: you list Paul Seixas as a top favorite—do you mean someone else? Remco yes, Van Aert yes, Pidcock scary with MTB punch, and MVDP is… well, MVDP. But I need clarity on Seixas, por favor.davidm08-09-2026
- - That rib quote going viral might’ve helped him—took pressure off and he just raced instinctive. Give him a leash Sunday and he could solo from 3–4km if the favourites cage each other. Vamos Kevin! (y también, mucha fuerza para Pogacar)sprocketspiny08-09-2026
- - Tough break for Tadej. But saying it’s the USA’s “best shot since Lance in ’93” feels a bit much—what about Kuss-level depth vibes post-Vuelta last year? Still, love the plan to get ahead of the race. Execution will be everything on those Montréal laps.jennifer1908-09-2026
- - Wait, is the Worlds road race really in Montréal on September 27? Thought the Worlds usually rotate continents and are in October some years. Also, no race radios—how do they actually coordinate attacks then?pedalpowe2908-09-2026
- - Brilliant read. Vermaerke’s engine has been humming since those late Vuelta breakaways—Stage 13/14 moves weren’t flukes. If McNulty brings Montréal legs and Jorgenson/Powless mark the big three (Remco/Del Toro/Seixas), the US can play the numbers late.cadencekingm08-09-2026
- - Felix Gall getting slept on again. If Gall attacks on the final mountain stage post-TT and Mas hesitates, gaps can open fast. Still, credit where due—Movistar are controlling every mountain day like it’scadencekingm07-09-2026
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